Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Vamp Time Purple&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Vamp Time Purple’, having large purple decorative flowers in a domed capitulum form with a good foliage presentation.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/703,341, filed Jul. 28, 2005.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Vamp Time Purple’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, and referred to by the cultivar name ‘Vamp Time Purple’.

‘Vamp Time Purple’, identified as 20544-9 was discovered as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation in a controlled cultivated planting of the variety ‘Vamp Time Dark Pink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,755).

The new variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative cuttings in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Vamp Time Purple’ is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plant variety having purple decorative flowers.

Comparison with Original Cultivar

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ are similar to the Original cultivar ‘Vamp Time Dark Pink’ in plant habit and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ differed from plants of the original cultivar ‘Vamp Time Dark Pink’ in the following characteristic:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ produces purple decorative         flowers whereas ‘Vamp Time Dark Pink’ produces dark pink         decorative flowers.

Comparison with ‘Padmos Time Pink’

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ are dissimilar to plants of the variety ‘Padmos Time Pink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,125) in plant habit and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ differed from plants of ‘Padmos Time Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ have larger and         taller inflorescence than plants of ‘Padmos Time Pink’.     -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ have purple         decorative flowers whereas ‘Padmos Time Pink’ has dark pink         decorative flowers.     -   3. Plants of the new variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ have a shorter         vigour than plants of ‘Padmos Time Pink’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ are shown in the accompanying digital photograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usual limits of this kind of illustration.

FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ grown in a pot. The plant shown in the illustration is 55 days from the onset of Short Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Vamp Time Purple’ is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, in the month of October. The cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment such as temperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance in genotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a pot Chrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperature conditions averaging about 19° C. at night and about 17° C. to 24° C. during the day during the day under light conditions of about 2,500 Lux. The plants respond well to the use of growth retardant, such as one B9 treatment at about 2 grams per liter. To produce a commercial product, the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. The typical container size for commercial growth is 1 liter. It has been observed that the shelf life of the new variety is about 28 days with a response time of about 7 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growth in a temperature range of 15° C. to 25° C.

The following description is with respect to a plant produced as pot Chrysanthemum. In the description of this new Chrysanthemum variety, color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

-   Plant: -   Plant type: Pot -   Habit: Upright and free branching -   Height (cm): 19 cm -   Width (cm): 32 -   Stem:     -   -   Length (cm).—5.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.7.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Color.—138B. -   Branching characteristics: Upright and free branching -   Lateral branches:     -   -   Length (cm).—10.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.5.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent. -   Number of breaks from pinch: 4 to 5 -   Response time: 49 days -   Vigor: Medium/Tall -   Shelf life: 28 days -   Life of blooms: 28 days -   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date. -   Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed to date. -   Drought and temperature (susceptibility/resistance observed): None     observed to date. -   Growth retardant type and treatment: 3 applications of 2.5 gm/liter     B9 @ 2, 21 and 28 days after sticking unrooted cuttings. The plants     were grown for two weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours of light)     and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of dark). -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Vegetative propagation via stem cuttings.         -   Time to rooting.—14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.         -   Rooting habit.—After 7 Long Days, the first roots emerge and             form root primordia. In 14 Long Days, a complete root system             is developed. -   Foliage: -   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 9 -   Compound or single: Single -   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate     -   -   Shape of leaf.—Typically lobed.         -   Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 4.5 Length (cm): 7.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Attachment.—Petioled.         -   Aspect.—Slightly undulating.         -   Margin.—Lobed.         -   Surface characteristics.—Top: Slightly pubescent Bottom:             Pubescent. -   Petiole:     -   -   Color.—138A.         -   Length (cm).—1.3.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.3.         -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent. -   Venation: Net, prominent lateral and mid-veins at underside     -   -   Color.—upper side: 147C under side: 147C. -   Color:     -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—137A; under side: 137C.         -   Young leaf, upper side.—147A; under side: 137C. -   Flower: -   Flower appearance: Matte -   Flower type: Decorative -   Flower form: Domed -   Flower shape: Circular -   Flowering habit: Domed capitulum -   Number of blossoms per branch: 4 to 5 -   Typical and observed flowering season: January to December -   Inflorescence form: Cyme     -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—1.5.         -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—9. -   Phyllaries:     -   -   Number.—14.         -   Color.—138A.         -   Length (cm).—0.6.         -   Width (cm).—0.3.         -   Texture/appearance.—Pubescent. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length (cm).—8.5.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.5.         -   Angle from stem (degrees).—10.         -   Color.—138B.         -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.         -   Strength.—Medium. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—terminal (cm): 3; lateral (cm): 3.5.         -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.         -   Color.—138B.         -   Surface.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.         -   Strength.—Medium. -   Ray florets:     -   -   Form/shape.—Straight with parallel edges to the mid vein.         -   Texture/appearance.—Matte.         -   Number per flower.—95.         -   Length (cm).—4; Width (cm): 1.3.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Tapered.         -   Margin.—Entire. -   Disc florets:     -   -   Form/shape.—Cylindric.         -   Texture/appearance.—Shiny.         -   Number per flower.—14.         -   Length (cm).—0.5; Width (cm): 0.1.         -   Diameter of disc (cm).—0.3. -   Fragrance: None -   Flower bud (at onset of color):     -   -   Length (cm).—1.8.         -   Diameter (cm).—1.5.         -   Form/shape.—Globular. -   General flower color:     -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: 63A Mature: 63B             Older/Fading: 63C.         -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: 63B Mature: 63C             Older/Fading: 63C.         -   3. Disc florets.—Immature: 145B Mature: 145B Older/Fading:             145C.         -   6. Bud.—63B. -   Flower progression with age: Flower has a slight reflex with age and     a very slight color fading. -   Reproductive organs: Gynoecium present on Ray and Disc florets. -   Ray florets per individual flower: Pistillate     -   -   Pistil number.—95.         -   Stigma color.—3A.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color.—154B.         -   Style length (cm).—0.4. -   Disc florets per individual flower: Pistillate     -   -   Pistil number.—14.         -   Stigma color.—3A.         -   Stigma shape.—Forked.         -   Style color.—154A.         -   Style length (cm).—0.4. -   Androecium: None observed -   Fruit and seeds: None observed 

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 